APRIL 2020 

COXWELL VS
TRADITIONAL GLAZING
COXWELL

HOW COXWELL
SKYLIGHTS ARE THE FUTURE OF SKYLIGHTS
SUPERIOR TO
TRADITIONAL by Harsh Sharma
COUNTERPARTS

The race to produce advanced building materials that can outperform

their traditional counterparts has brought us a variety of light-weight
thermoplastic polymers, often adopted within high-tech industries.
Pioneered by Bayer, Makrolon is a high-end polycarbonate
thermoplastic material, which delivers on the promise for future-
proofed glazing. So what exactly is a polycarbonate polymer and why
do we believe it to step forward from glass? To delve into this, we must
consider the metrics we use to evaluate glass used within the
construction industry, in the first place. There are eleven attributes
which a material should triumph in:
Translucency
Weatherproof
Strength
Durability
Adaptability
Aesthetics
Safety
Lightweight
Thermal Efficiency
Solar Performance
Green Rating
Polycarbonate panels can be extruded, clear as glass or completely
opaque and every shade of translucency between.Polycarbonate panels
when provided within a complete façade, roofing or cladding system is a
proven weather barrier as tested by ASTM E-331 and ASTM E-283
standards.

A polycarbonate panel, pound for pound, is 200 times stronger than

tempered glass, which provides immense resistance to environmental
impact.Durability is a combination of several factors that determine the
material’s lifespan, and when polycarbonate is co-extruded with
advanced inhibitors, the material will last a building’s lifecycle.How does
a panel adapt to the environment and to the demands of the project?

How about the ability to be curved organically and take the shape of the
building. Fortunately, polycarbonate polymers achieve this flexibility
without compromise.Polycarbonate panels are offered in a spectrum of
color, finishes, profiles, and shapes that are unmatched by any other form
of glazing.
Why are polycarbonate thermoplastics used for bullet-proofing solutions,
because, of its inherent strength and resistance to shattering? Used for
safety glasses, riot gear and in sports equipment, again because
polycarbonates are non-combustible and safe.
Even though polycarbonates are inherently much stronger than glass,
they are also less than half of the weight of the traditional option.

Thermal efficiency is becoming more important in our modern-day

buildings, and when a polycarbonate thermoplastic is extruded into a
multicell structured panel, superior U-values below 1.0 Ug (W/m2.K) are
achievable.
For a building, keeping the sun at bay translates into lower HVAC costs
and a leads directly to a H.Q.E (high-quality environment). When a
polycarbonate building panel is co-extruded with a Low-E or reflective
finish, SHGC figures below 0.2 are possible.

A green rating is one of the new Gold standards that a 21st-century

glazing system must achieve. When compared to glass, the production of
polycarbonate panels creates a much smaller carbon footprint. This
extends itself right from the factory floor, all the way to transportation
and delivery on site.So we are able to clearly establish that when
comparing an advanced polycarbonate thermoplastic panel, directly
against its old-world glass counterpart, building material science – has
moved us much further ahead. This thermoplastic polymer provides us
with a glazing option that is stronger, lighter, more efficient, more
durable, has more variety and that is ‘greener’ for the environment. This
brings us back to the concept of architects playing the role of a painter,
as it becomes obvious that polycarbonates bring to life, a whole new
spectrum of vivid colors to our palette.